Playpen that is Movable and Foldable Easily and Quickly

ABSTRACT

A playpen includes a frame, four upper folding devices, two lower folding devices, a pull cord, and two lower collapsible devices. Each of the lower folding devices includes a first connecting member, a second connecting member, a mounting bracket, a locking member, an elastic member, and a compression spring. Each of the lower collapsible devices has a second compression spring. Thus, each of the lower folding devices is operated to fold the frame in a first stage, and each of the lower collapsible devices is operated to fold the frame in a second stage, so that the playpen is folded in a two-stage manner. In addition, the user only needs to pull the pull cord to unlock each of the lower folding devices so as to partially fold the frame easily and quickly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a playpen and, more particularly, to aplaypen for placing a baby therein.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional playpen comprises a frame having a plurality of supportrods pivotally connected with each other, and an enclosure clothenclosed around a periphery of the frame to encompass the support rods.However, the conventional playpen cannot be folded easily and quickly,thereby greatly causing inconvenience to a user when folding theconventional playpen.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a playpen,comprising a frame including a plurality of support rods pivotallyconnected with each other, four upper folding devices mounted on anupper portion of the frame to fold the upper portion of the frame, twolower folding devices mounted on two opposite first sides of a lowerportion of the frame to fold the two opposite first sides of the lowerportion of the frame, a pull cord mounted between the two lower foldingdevices to control operation of the two lower folding devices, and twolower collapsible devices mounted on two opposite second sides of thelower portion of the frame to fold the two opposite second sides of thelower portion of the frame.

Each of the two lower folding devices includes a first connecting membermounted on a respective one of the support rods of the frame, a secondconnecting member mounted on a respective one of the support rods of theframe and pivotally connected with the first connecting member, amounting bracket mounted on the first connecting member and the secondconnecting member, and a locking member movably mounted in the mountingbracket and movable between a first position where the locking memberlocks the first connecting member and the second connecting member sothat the first connecting member and the second connecting member arelocked onto the mounting bracket and a second position where the lockingmember unlocks the first connecting member and the second connectingmember so that the first connecting member and the second connectingmember are pivotable relative to the mounting bracket.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a playpenthat is movable and foldable easily and quickly.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a playpen,wherein each of the two lower folding devices is operated to fold theframe in a first stage, and each of the two lower collapsible devices isoperated to fold the frame in a second stage, so that the playpen isfolded in a two-stage manner, thereby facilitating a user folding theplaypen.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a playpen,wherein the user only needs to pull the pull cord to unlock each of thetwo lower folding devices so as to partially fold the frame easily andquickly.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a playpen,wherein the second compression spring presses each of the two lowercollapsible devices to prevent each of the two lower collapsible devicesfrom being unlocked during operation of the two lower folding devices toprotect the user's safety.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a playpen,wherein the frame is movable easily and quickly by provision of thecastors.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent after a careful reading of the detailed description withappropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a playpen in accordance with thepreferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a locally enlarged perspective view of the playpen as shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the playpen as shown in FIG.2.

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the playpen as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a schematic operational view of the playpen as shown in FIG.4.

FIG. 6 is a schematic operational view of the playpen as shown in FIG.1.

FIG. 7 is a schematic operational view of the playpen as shown in FIG.6.

FIG. 8 is a schematic operational view of the playpen as shown in FIG.7.

FIG. 9 is a schematic operational view of the playpen as shown in FIG.1.

FIG. 10 is a schematic operational view of the playpen as shown in FIG.8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-5, a playpen inaccordance with the preferred embodiment of the present inventioncomprises a frame 5, four upper folding devices 1 mounted on an upperportion of the frame 5 to fold the upper portion of the frame 5, twolower folding devices 2 mounted on two opposite first sides of a lowerportion of the frame 5 to fold the two opposite first sides of the lowerportion of the frame 5, a pull cord 3 mounted between the two lowerfolding devices 2 to control operation of the two lower folding devices2, and two lower collapsible devices 4 mounted on two opposite secondsides of the lower portion of the frame 5 to fold the two oppositesecond sides of the lower portion of the frame 5.

The frame 5 is a substantially rectangular body and includes a pluralityof support rods 50 pivotally connected with each other. The lowerportion of the frame 5 has a periphery provided with four castors 51.

Each of the two lower folding devices 2 includes a first connectingmember 22 mounted on a respective one of the support rods 50 of theframe 5, a second connecting member 28 mounted on a respective one ofthe support rods 50 of the frame 5 and pivotally connected with thefirst connecting member 22, a mounting bracket 21 mounted on the firstconnecting member 22 and the second connecting member 28, a lockingmember 23 movably mounted in the mounting bracket 21 and movable betweena first position where the locking member 23 locks the first connectingmember 22 and the second connecting member 28 so that the firstconnecting member 22 and the second connecting member 28 are locked ontothe mounting bracket 21 and a second position where the locking member23 unlocks the first connecting member 22 and the second connectingmember 28 so that the first connecting member 22 and the secondconnecting member 28 are pivotable relative to the mounting bracket 21,an elastic member 24 mounted in the mounting bracket 21 and biasedbetween the mounting bracket 21 and the locking member 23 to push thelocking member 23 to the first position thereof, a compression spring 26mounted between any two of the support rods 50 of the frame 5 andabutting the mounting bracket 21, and a protective jacket 261 mountedaround the compression spring 26.

The first connecting member 22 of each of the two lower folding devices2 has a first end inserted into the respective one of the support rods50 of the frame 5 and a second end provided with a bifurcate mountingportion 220 provided with two spaced locking holes 221.

The second connecting member 28 of each of the two lower folding devices2 has a first end inserted into the respective one of the support rods50 of the frame 5 and a second end provided with a bifurcate mountingsection 280 which is pivotally mounted in the mounting portion 220 ofthe first connecting member 22 and is provided with two spaced lockingbores 281 each juxtaposed to the respective locking hole 221 of thefirst connecting member 22.

Each of the two lower folding devices 2 further includes a pivot pin 27extending through the mounting bracket 21, the mounting portion 220 ofthe first connecting member 22 and the mounting section 280 of thesecond connecting member 28 to combine the mounting bracket 21, themounting portion 220 of the first connecting member 22 and the mountingsection 280 of the second connecting member 28.

The locking member 23 of each of the two lower folding devices 2 isdriven by the pull cord 3 and has a bottom provided with two spacedlocking blocks 230 that are movable with the locking member 23 betweenthe first position where each of the two locking blocks 230 of thelocking member 23 is inserted into the respective locking hole 221 ofthe first connecting member 22 and the respective locking bore 281 ofthe second connecting member 28 as shown in FIG. 4 to lock the firstconnecting member 22 and the second connecting member 28 and the secondposition-where each of the two locking blocks 230 of the locking member23 is detached from the respective locking hole 221 of the firstconnecting member 22 and the respective locking bore 281 of the secondconnecting member 28 as shown in FIG. 5 to unlock the first connectingmember 22 and the second connecting member 28. The locking member 23 ofeach of the two lower folding devices 2 has a first end provided with afixing recess 231 and a second end provided with a receiving chamber234. The locking member 23 of each of the two lower folding devices 2has a periphery provided with an elongated entrance slit 232 connectedto the fixing recess 231.

The mounting bracket 21 of each of the two lower folding devices 2 has asubstantially inverted U-shaped cross-sectional profile and has aninside provided with a mounting chamber 211 for mounting the mountingportion 220 of the first connecting member 22 and the mounting section280 of the second connecting member 28. The mounting bracket 21 of eachof the two lower folding devices 2 has an upper portion provided with aslideway 212 in which the locking member 23 is slidable. The slideway212 of the mounting bracket 21 of each of the two lower folding devices2 has a bottom provided with a guide channel 214 connected to themounting chamber 211 to guide movement of the two locking blocks 230 ofthe locking member 23. The mounting bracket 21 of each of the two lowerfolding devices 2 has a first side provided with a through hole 210 anda second side provided with an opening 216 connected to the slideway 212for mounting a catch plate 25.

The pull cord 3 has two distal ends 30 each extending through thethrough hole 210 of the mounting bracket 21 and the locking member 23 ofthe respective lower folding device 2 and each provided with an enlargedhead 32 secured in the fixing recess 231 of the locking member 23. Eachof the two distal ends 30 of the pull cord 3 extends through theentrance slit 232 into the fixing recess 231 of the locking member 23.

The elastic member 24 of each of the two lower folding devices 2 has afirst end abutting the first side of the mounting bracket 21 and asecond end received in the receiving chamber 234 of the locking member23 to push the locking member 23 toward the catch plate 25 which is usedto stop movement of the locking member 23.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 9, each of the two lower collapsible devices 4is mounted between two of the support rods 50 of the frame 5 and pressedby a second compression spring 42 which is mounted between the two ofthe support rods 50 of the frame 5. The second compression spring 42 isprovided with a protective jacket 421.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 10, the playpen further comprises an enclosurecloth 52 enclosed around a periphery of the frame 5 to encompass theupper folding devices 1, the lower folding devices 2 and the lowercollapsible devices 4, and a plurality of snap fasteners 521 mounted onthe support rods 50 of the frame 5.

In operation, referring to FIGS. 6-10 with reference to FIGS. 1-5, thelocking member 23 of each of the two lower folding devices 2 is pushedby the elastic member 24 to abut the catch plate 25 so that each of thetwo locking blocks 230 of the locking member 23 is inserted into therespective locking hole 221 of the first connecting member 22 and therespective locking bore 281 of the second connecting member 28 as shownin FIG. 4 to lock the first connecting member 22 and the secondconnecting member 28.

When a user wishes to fold the playpen, the locking member 23 of each ofthe two lower folding devices 2 is pulled by the respective distal end30 of the pull cord 3 to compress the elastic member 24 so that each ofthe two locking blocks 230 of the locking member 23 is detached from therespective locking hole 221 of the first connecting member 22 and therespective locking bore 281 of the second connecting member 28 as shownin FIG. 5 to unlock the first connecting member 22 and the secondconnecting member 28, such that the first connecting member 22 and thesecond connecting member 28 are pivotable freely relative to themounting bracket 21 about the pivot pin 27. In such a manner, when thepull cord 3 is pulled upward, each of the two lower folding devices 2 isunlocked, so that the two opposite first sides (containing the two lowerfolding devices 2) of the lower portion of the frame 5 are folded, andthe two opposite second sides (containing the two lower collapsibledevices 4) of the lower portion of the frame 5 are movable toward eachother as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 until two opposite sides of the frame 5abut each other as shown in FIG. 8. Thus, the frame 5 is folded in afirst stage so as to fold the playpen partially.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, each of the two lower collapsible devices 4is unlocked so that the two opposite second sides (containing the twolower collapsible devices 4) of the lower portion of the frame 5 arefolded so as to fold the frame 5. Thus, the frame 5 is folded in asecond stage so as to fold the playpen entirely. Then, the frame 5 isfastened by the snap fasteners 521 so as to fix the playpen.

Accordingly, each of the two lower folding devices 2 is operated to foldthe frame 5 in a first stage, and each of the two lower collapsibledevices 4 is operated to fold the frame 5 in a second stage, so that theplaypen is folded in a two-stage manner, thereby facilitating a userfolding the playpen. In addition, the user only needs to pull the pullcord 3 to unlock each of the two lower folding devices 2 so as topartially fold the frame 5 easily and quickly. Further, the secondcompression spring 42 presses each of the two lower collapsible devices4 to prevent each of the two lower collapsible devices 4 from beingunlocked during operation of the two lower folding devices 2 to protectthe user's safety. Further, the frame 5 is movable easily and quickly byprovision of the castors 51.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferredembodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many otherpossible modifications and variations can be made without departing fromthe scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated thatthe appended claim or claims will cover such modifications andvariations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

1. A playpen, comprising: a frame including a plurality of support rodspivotally connected with each other; four upper folding devices mountedon an upper portion of the frame to fold the upper portion of the frame;two lower folding devices mounted on two opposite first sides of a lowerportion of the frame to fold the two opposite first sides of the lowerportion of the frame; a pull cord mounted between the two lower foldingdevices to control operation of the two lower folding devices; two lowercollapsible devices mounted on two opposite second sides of the lowerportion of the frame to fold the two opposite second sides of the lowerportion of the frame; each of the two lower folding devices including: afirst connecting member mounted on a respective one of the support rodsof the frame; a second connecting member mounted on a respective one ofthe support rods of the frame and pivotally connected with the firstconnecting member; a mounting bracket mounted on the first connectingmember and the second connecting member; a locking member movablymounted in the mounting bracket and movable between a first positionwhere the locking member locks the first connecting member and thesecond connecting member so that the first connecting member and thesecond connecting member are locked onto the mounting bracket and asecond position where the locking member unlocks the first connectingmember and the second connecting member so that the first connectingmember and the second connecting member are pivotable relative to themounting bracket.
 2. The playpen in accordance with claim 1, wherein thefirst connecting member of each of the two lower folding devices has afirst end inserted into the respective one of the support rods of theframe and a second end provided with a bifurcate mounting portionprovided with two spaced locking holes; the second connecting member ofeach of the two lower folding devices has a first end inserted into therespective one of the support rods of the frame and a second endprovided with a bifurcate mounting section which is pivotally mounted inthe mounting portion of the first connecting member and is provided withtwo spaced locking bores each juxtaposed to the respective locking holeof the first connecting member; the locking member of each of the twolower folding devices is driven by the pull cord and has a bottomprovided with two spaced locking blocks that are movable with thelocking member between the first position where each of the two lockingblocks of the locking member is inserted into the respective lockinghole of the first connecting member and the respective locking bore ofthe second connecting member to lock the first connecting member and thesecond connecting member and the second position where each of the twolocking blocks of the locking member is detached from the respectivelocking hole of the first connecting member and the respective lockingbore of the second connecting member to unlock the first connectingmember and the second connecting member.
 3. The playpen in accordancewith claim 2, wherein each of the two lower folding devices furtherincludes: an elastic member mounted in the mounting bracket and biasedbetween the mounting bracket and the locking member to push the lockingmember to the first position thereof.
 4. The playpen in accordance withclaim 1, wherein each of the two lower folding devices further includes:a compression spring mounted between any two of the support rods of theframe and abutting the mounting bracket; a protective jacket mountedaround the compression spring.
 5. The playpen in accordance with claim1, wherein each of the two lower collapsible devices is mounted betweentwo of the support rods of the frame and pressed by a second compressionspring which is mounted between the two of the support rods of theframe.
 6. The playpen in accordance with claim 5, wherein the secondcompression spring is provided with a protective jacket.
 7. The playpenin accordance with claim 3, wherein the mounting bracket of each of thetwo lower folding devices has an inside provided with a mounting chamberfor mounting the mounting portion of the first connecting member and themounting section of the second connecting member.
 8. The playpen inaccordance with claim 7, wherein the mounting bracket of each of the twolower folding devices has an upper portion provided with a slideway inwhich the locking member is slidable.
 9. The playpen in accordance withclaim 8, wherein the slideway of the mounting bracket of each of the twolower folding devices has a bottom provided with a guide channelconnected to the mounting chamber to guide movement of the two lockingblocks of the locking member.
 10. The playpen in accordance with claim8, wherein the locking member of each of the two lower folding deviceshas a first end provided with a fixing recess and a second end providedwith a receiving chamber; the mounting bracket of each of the two lowerfolding devices has a first side provided with a through hole and asecond side provided with an opening connected to the slideway formounting a catch plate; the pull cord has two distal ends each extendingthrough the through hole of the mounting bracket and the locking memberof the respective lower folding device and each provided with anenlarged head secured in the fixing recess of the locking member; theelastic member of each of the two lower folding devices has a first endabutting the first side of the mounting bracket and a second endreceived in the receiving chamber of the locking member to push thelocking member toward the catch plate which is used to stop movement ofthe locking member.
 11. The playpen in accordance with claim 10, whereinthe locking member of each of the two lower folding devices has aperiphery provided with an elongated entrance slit connected to thefixing recess; each of the two distal ends of the pull cord extendsthrough the entrance slit into the fixing recess of the locking member.12. The playpen in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: anenclosure cloth enclosed around a periphery of the frame to encompassthe upper folding devices, the lower folding devices and the lowercollapsible devices; a plurality of snap fasteners mounted on thesupport rods of the frame.
 13. The playpen in accordance with claim 1,wherein the lower portion of the frame has a periphery provided withfour castors.
 14. The playpen in accordance with claim 2, wherein eachof the two lower folding devices further includes a pivot pin extendingthrough the mounting bracket, the mounting portion of the firstconnecting member and the mounting section of the second connectingmember to combine the mounting bracket, the mounting portion of thefirst connecting member and the mounting section of the secondconnecting member.
 15. The playpen in accordance with claim 1, whereinthe mounting bracket of each of the two lower folding devices has asubstantially inverted U-shaped cross-sectional profile.
 16. The playpenin accordance with claim 10, wherein the locking member of each of thetwo lower folding devices is pushed by the elastic member to abut thecatch plate so that each of the two locking blocks of the locking memberis inserted into the respective locking hole of the first connectingmember and the respective locking bore of the second connecting member.17. The playpen in accordance with claim 16, wherein the locking memberof each of the two lower folding devices is pulled by the respectivedistal end of the pull cord to compress the elastic member so that eachof the two locking blocks of the locking member is detached from therespective locking hole of the first connecting member and therespective locking bore of the second connecting member.